A new Florida announcement limiting the phrase "climate change" in school textbooks across the state has sparked frustration among scientists and writers, per an article published in the Orlando Sentinel.
What's happening?
Textbook authors in Florida recently spoke out against a new update to Florida's curriculum policies. State officials originally contacted the publishers, requesting authors remove some uses of the phrase "climate change" in order for the books to be accepted by Florida's public schools.
On top of removing several instances of "climate change," the state also required a high school biology textbook to provide citations to support a line stating that "human activities" caused rising global temperatures, according to a report in Newsweek.
"How do you write an environmental science book to appease people who are opposed to climate change?" an anonymous school district science supervisor told the Orlando Sentinel.
While some of the textbook authors also asked to remain anonymous, one author spoke out against the edits. Ken Miller, a biology professor at Brown University, noted that the state removed a sentence urging governments to take action against the climate crisis because they classified it as a "political statement."
Glenn Branch, deputy director of the Center for Science Education, co-authored a 2020 study that graded Florida as a D in climate education. Branch said cutting the phrase "climate change" will make education on the subject in the state even worse.
"These ill-considered actions are going to cheat Florida students," he added.
Why is climate education important?
When state officials limit the use of climate-related phrases in school textbooks, they prevent students from learning the impact of dirty energy on the environment and local communities.
Each generation is an opportunity to make changes that ultimately lead to a cleaner, more sustainable future. However, when the next generation is being deprived of science-backed climate awareness, it's more challenging to catalyze the necessary action to encourage change.
The new edits also reflect the state government's previous stance against the phrase "climate change." This past May, Governor Ron DeSantis passed a bill that removed the term "climate change" from a significant portion of Florida law, which ultimately weakened Florida's position on clean energy, per an article published by NPR.
DeSantis stated that the new bill aimed to "reject the agenda of the radical green zealots."
What's being done about state textbook policies?
Scientists and educators are speaking out against climate deniers in the Florida government in an effort to provide students with an accurate portrayal of the climate situation.
As more key players continue to advocate for an updated science curriculum in Florida, activists will need to spread climate awareness among young students.
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